ATHLETICS: BECAUSE of a clash of league fixtures the under 17 boys from Ipswich Harriers found themselves divided for the Macdonalds and East Anglian League meetings.

BECAUSE of a clash of league fixtures the under 17 boys from Ipswich Harriers found themselves divided for the Macdonalds and East Anglian League meetings.

Some stayed at home for the Macdonalds whilst the rest competed at Bury St Edmunds.

Competition for the home meeting was tough and those who took part had to work hard for their results culminating in a final score of Norwich 222, Thurrock 173, Cambridge 161 and Ipswich Harriers 132.

Under 17 Daniel Alcock continues to raise the pole vault bar ever upwards and now has a pb of 2.15ms. Tom Blau, for the under 15s at the same event, went on to 2.20ms.

At the 400m hurdles Liam Rutter (under 17) lowered his time to 62.1s and in the under 15 400ms Levi Hunt and Philip Brown returned pb times of 61.9 and 65.7 respectively.

Three more under 15's had better times for their 200ms run. Sean Foster ran an excellent 24.2 for a second spot, De'onte Green was first B string in 24.5s and Robert Jarvis in the non scoring ran 26.2s.

It was also from the 200ms that under 13 James Dore took his best time to 29.2 when he was the winner of the race. Graham Pattle, non scoring for the event, ran a pb time of 30.5s.

On the field Josh Downes leapt 3.84ms in the long jump to add to his. Joe Thompson in the 1500ms ran 4.43.62 for the under 15 section and on the field Scott Stannard won the discus with a best throw of 28.38ms. Team mate Mark Dickinson won the B string hammer with 18.30ms pb.

Ipswich colours where worn for the first time by several new members at this meeting. Isaac, in the under 17's, ran the 100ms in 13.1s, cleared 1.55ms in the high jump and at the long jump leapt 5.40ms. Josh Morrison covered the 100 and 200ms in times of 12.6 and 25.8s, Luke Bigley also did the high jump with 1.35ms and Liam Smith did the shot 7.89ms, discus 23.93ms and hammer 19.61ms.

Chris Bullard, under 15 put the shot 9.62ms and cleared 1.40ms in the high jump. Lewis Byroand in the under 13s ran the 800ms in 3.11.6 and put the shot 6.10m and Sean Caley, also in the 800ms, ran 3.05.2s

At Bury St Edmunds the ladies joined the rest of the male squad and there was an abundance of pbs, seasons bests and first places, but no overall score was available at the end of the match.

For the under 17's junior/senior ladies section, Vicky Tunaley ran the 200m in a pb of 25.4 whilst Shelley Stannard had a season's best in the event with 28.8. Hannah Coleman and Louise Morgan in the 100m also returned seasons best times of 12.7 and 12.8.

In the 400m Leanne Thorndyke continues to lower her time, this now stands at 62.4. Laura O'Dell ran the 400m for the first time in 63.6 and two more season's best came in the 800m for Stephanie Adamek with 2.34.3 and Esther Trigidon 2.38.7.

In the under 15 girls Carly Schuman now has a new 100m time of 12.9 and Emily Beckett ran a season's best of 13.8. In the 200m there were pb's for Double 26.4 and Schuman 27.2. Lisbeth Hicks in the 1500m ran 6.13.2 then putt the shot 7.35m, both of them pb's.

Also on the field Amie McManus has now thrown a longer distance in the discus with 13.07m and in the javelin Hayley Todd and Lizzy May threw further than ever before with 19.56 and 18.02. The high jump bar was raised by Katie Brinkley to a new 1.55m.

Five new members in this age covered different events. Cassie Williams putt the shot 6.54 and threw the discus 17.87m, Vicky Boother ran the 800m in 2.55.5, Hannah Boother covered the 200m, Donna Cox the 100m in 14.2 and Frankie Braisdon with the high jump and 200m in 28.8.

Sarah Tippett continues to excel in the 70m under 13 hurdles, running a very fast time of 11.6 for a clear win.

Charlotte Cordy had a pb in the 100m in 14.6 at the high jump while Nicola Rawthorn and Steph Potter cleared 1.20 and 1.15 for their bests. Two new members did well, Jenny Higgins ran the 100m in 14.2 and the 200m in 30.5 and Parina Thakerar putt the shot 5.55.

Steve Hicks covered six events in the senior men and returned two pbs, going past the nine metre mark in the triple jump for the first time with 9.35 and in the discus threw 20.85. His other events were 800m, 3000, high jump and javelin.

Troy Duporte can now add two more pb's to his tally winning the 100m 11.3 and finishing third in the 200m in 23.6. Sean Bennett ran a season's best in the 200m in 24.0 and Niall Chinn ran the non-scoring 100m and 200m in 12.7 and 26.1 for a pair of pbs.

Martin Bennett was the only U17 boy at Bury St Edmunds and he came winning the 400m in a best time of 54.6.

Three under 15's came away with pb's. Matthew Hart ran the 100m in 13.4, Aaron Pentelow-Davies the 800m in 2.58.3 and the long jump 3.73 and Stuart Berry leapt 8m 98 in the triple jump.

In the Under 13 boys Tom Stewart had two pb's in the 100m and 200m timed at 15.1 and 30.8 and putt the shot 5m 60 at his first attempt. Chris Ling, also in the shot, reached 6m 06 for his best.